Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
Leonard Cohen
Philosophy
My vocation as a counselor springs from a desire to engage with life at its deepest levels and is inspired by a vision of wholeness that I believe is inherent within us all. I am continually fascinated and awed by what it means to be a human being.
I’m particularly drawn to the mindfulness-based therapies that have emerged within the last several years. Mindfulness-based practices provide the opportunity to slow down and bring focused awareness to our automatic responses and behaviors. The practice of mindfulness teaches us to be present in each moment. When we are present in each moment, we discover more resources with which to respond to life. This deepens and enhances our relationship to ourselves, to others, and to life. The willingness to mindfully experience whatever emerges in each moment invites profound transformation.
I experience the body, mind and spirit as interconnected and inseparable. For this reason, I also believe that our bodies are capable of profound change, even in the case of physical illness. As a practicing yogi, I’ve experienced that the “knots” within my own body-mind unravel more quickly and gracefully with daily yoga practice that includes times of stillness and meditation. I encourage physical practices that bring awareness to the body (yoga, tai chi, qi-gong) to support my clients’ unfolding.
Much of my work with clients focuses on reclaiming the authentic self. Our authentic, essential self is often neglected or perceived as unacceptable early in life. Since we are deeply influenced by those who love us and by those who fail to love us, our early experience sets the stage for many of our current challenges and limitations. Children are remarkably adaptable in situations that threaten their essential aliveness, but the result is that they often abandon their essential selves and assume the roles and expectations of those around them. This results in a painful fragmentation as the child’s unique, authentic self recedes and becomes inaccessible to her. As we bring awareness to these limiting and often unconscious roles and expectations, a more authentic and vital part of us organically begins to re-emerge. Self-defeating patterns of behavior give way to life-giving alternatives. The result is vitality, joy, and a greater range of inner resources with which to creatively engage in life.
Lastly, I believe that the wounds we receive in life are sacred: they are also the passages through which we can experience the mystery and blessedness of life. I am committed to guiding my clients through these passages with wisdom, grace, and compassion.